Irish Cancer Society welcomes reduction in prescription charge for over-70s

The Irish Cancer Society has today welcomed the news that the Health (Amendment) Bill has been brought to Cabinet. The Bill will allow for a reduction in the prescription charge for over-70s from €2.50 per item to €2, and is expected to proceed quickly through both Houses of the Oireachtas. However, the Society says the Bill doesn’t go far enough and reductions in the prescription charge need to be seen across all patient groups.

Head of Services and Advocacy at the Irish Cancer Society, Donal Buggy said: “While we welcome the proposed move to reduce prescription charges for what is a vulnerable group who make up the majority of cancer patients, we believe action is required that will benefit the entire cancer population. We know that cancer patients, even with medical cards, are being crippled by the huge additional costs that come with a diagnosis.”

“Cancer doesn’t discriminate on the basis of age, which is why we are calling for the phased abolition of the charge for all, instead of limiting it to a specific cohort.”

In October 2015, the Irish Cancer Society report “The Real Cost of Cancer”, found that, on average, regardless of whether a patient held a medical card or private insurance, the additional cost of cancer was €862 a month, at a time when patients were losing an average of €1,400 a month in income, through having to leave work or taking reduced hours.

The Society are calling on the Ministers for Health and Public Expenditure and Reform to abolish prescription charges for all medical card holders on a phased basis, beginning with Budget 2018.

Mr. Buggy said: “The economic rationale no longer exists for prescription charges. We understand that they were introduced at the time of a catastrophic economic crisis, but since the last increase in the charge to €2.50, there has been a drop in the number of medical cards, the cost to the state of a medical card has fallen to its lowest point since 2003, the average pharmacy payment per medical card holder has fallen significantly, while the new pricing agreement with the pharmaceutical industry will deliver savings of €140m this year alone.”

“It is not just about cost, however. While the economic conditions are favourable to a phased abolition of the charges, we are concerned that out of pocket payments such as prescription charges are so high that they are causing cancer patients to forgo daily essentials. There is evidence, both from Ireland and abroad, that prescription charges cause lower adherence to, and rationing of, medication, which has the knock-on effect of poorer outcomes for the cancer patient, and ultimately, higher costs for the health service”.

The Society says that the continued levying of the charge at a high rate of €2.50 is a punitive measure that targets people on the lowest incomes and people who are battling illness and the psychological and physical stress it brings.

Mr. Buggy said: “No one should have to choose between medication to treat their cancer or manage its symptoms and putting food on the table. No one should have to ration their medicines to save money. No one should be forced to prioritise their child’s illness over their own.”

“Abolishing prescription charges would offer a lifeline to all cancer patients who simply can’t afford to spend up to €300 a year on important medication”.

The Irish Cancer Society will be campaigning throughout 2017 to reduce out of pocket payments as part of its “Real Cost of Cancer” campaign.